Wedding, get set, go: Bridal expo returns to Longmont

LONGMONT —There goes the bride — not to mention the bridesmaids, the DJ, the cake designer. ...

Wedding season hit the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in full force Sunday afternoon with the annual “Whispers of Spring Wedding Expo.” Seventy-two vendors and a lot of brides-to-be filled the ballroom, with family members and the occasional groom-to-be filling in the cracks.

And this was a relatively light year.

“I think the cold weather kept some people at home,” said Tish Marti, the Radisson’s wedding coordinator, as she studied the crowd. “We usually have twice as many people as this.”

Not that anybody’s complaining. For both the Radisson and for organizer Westwind Productions, wedding shows are big business.

“I think it’s because women consider it the most special day of their life, and so it’s important to have everything just so,” Westwind owner Denise Stramel said. “You can do one-stop shopping and find some new ideas.”

And a wide range of ideas at that. Some of the items and services would be on anyone’s checklist: dresses and lingerie, flowers and cakes, photographers and DJs. Others were a little less traditional, such as the laser hair removal service, or the pullcart that lets your dog act as a flower girl for the wedding.

“We invented this for our wedding,” said Sheryl Bass, who with her husband, Neil Cline, created the Pet Petal Pullcart in 2006. “We wanted both our dogs to be in the wedding, and there were a lot of products allowing dogs to be ringbearers, but nothing to allow them to be a flower child.”

The cart is harnessed to the dog and paddles screwed to the wheel axle scatter the flowers as the dog moves forward. The standard cart accommodates up to about a 35-pound dog, though that doesn’t have to be an absolute limit.

“If someone really wants it done, I can make one for larger-size dogs,” said Cline. “I wouldn’t rule it out.”

Across the ballroom, the elaborate designs of the Colorado Rose Cake Company drew their share of attention. The company and the wedding expo were both born 11 years ago, and designer Marci Perrotto has shown off her wedding cakes at every single show.

“I took two classes about 30 years ago, one in forestry and one in cake design,” said Perrotto, who lives north of Longmont. “The cake design was just something I kept doing, and it kept evolving.”

One wedding cake can take her eight to 12 hours to make, spread out over five days. It’s worth it, she said.

“It’s the centerpiece of the reception, something your guests are going to remember,” Perrotto said.

Meanwhile, there were small events and prize opportunities throughout the afternoon. One balloon-popping event, for example, left bride-to-be Melissa Kuhn of Greeley with a pair of toasting glasses.

“I’m here to get ideas, I guess,” said Kuhn, whose marriage is set for Aug. 30. “You only do this once — hopefully — and I want to make the most of it.”


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Bridal show focuses on elegance

Jodi Gillard, owner and manager of Go2Wed.com, is looking to bring something new to the world of wedding shows.

The Web site, now in its fourth year, provides the names of wedding resources, planning sheets, tools, articles and other materials for newly engaged couples.

"Our vendors have been asking to produce a show for the last three years," Gillard said.

The challenge for Go2Wed in hosting its own show was to make it different. "Ours is set up so it doesn't have the pipe and drape, it's a little more elegant, very open, not like a convention staff show," Gillard said. The 2008 Wedding Show will be in the ballrooms at the Ramada Hotel and Conference Center, rather than a hall or convention center.

"It's going to be a little bit more upscale, the rooms decorated more," said Erin Dunn of Fine Exposures, one of the vendors that was influential in getting the Wedding Show together.

The show also provides a way for vendors to connect in person with brides who are visiting the site online. "Online trends are growing. Brides spend a good portion of their time online," Gillard said.

More than 70 vendors will be featured; there will be live entertainment, live models, product and service displays, interactive games and other activities.

Attendees will be eligible for several prize drawings, including the "Grand Prize Package," which features: ballroom rental for a reception at the Ramada Hotel, a jacuzzi suite for the bride and groom the night of the wedding at the Ramada Hotel, a free tuxedo for the groom and $500 off a bridal gown from Jenni's Bridal, a Treasure Island Overnight Stay Package, and more.


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